


The New Kid

by ZargothraxOtterton



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Deathcore, Finland (Country), Gloryhammer - Freeform, Metalcore, Michigan, Other, Parkway Drive - Freeform, Slipknot (Band) - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:33:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 15,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28343214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZargothraxOtterton/pseuds/ZargothraxOtterton
Summary: After being kicked out of his Midwestern home, 14-year old Alister Otterton moves in with his relatives in Zootopia. However, something is quite different. Emmitt Otterton, his uncle, has been missing for the last week and no one knows why. Join a younger Alister as he meets new friends, says goodbye to old friends, and becomes re-aquainted with some of his city friends.This serves as a prequel to my "Of Fur and Fire" trilogy.
Relationships: Emmitt Otterton/Mrs. Otterton, Judy Hopps & Nick Wilde
Kudos: 1





	1. What's it like to be a Heretic

The year was 2016. It was the month of May. I was 14 years old and lived in Muskegon (a complete shithole). School had just finished a few days ago and I was about to go to Zootopia.

I always went to Zootopia over the summer. It is the city where my aunt and uncle live. Their names are Emmitt and Ashkii and they had two children. The children’s names were Corey (7 years old) and Piper (4 years old). I always wanted to get an escape from Muskegon. My birth parents, Sandy, and Larry were never nice to me and were always abusive. They only had me because they had unprotected sex while drunk and didn’t want to abort the baby (being pro-life and all). I would always go to the train station in Bunnyburrow (about 1 hours or so from Muskegon) and take the Zootopia express. It happened every summer. However, this year, something was very different. My uncle, Emmitt, had been missing for a week and no one knew where he had gone. I was texting with Ashkii about it. I suggested that if he doesn’t come back in a few more days, she should go ask the police. I still was planning to go into the city, as Ashkii really wanted me to come. I also wanted to provide her comfort because she is part of my REAL family. I sent her a text that said “I will be there tomorrow” since that was when I was going to come down already. As I was doing this, I was sitting in my room and wearing a Bullet For My Vulpine shirt (haha get it). I had just started listening to metal a few months prior and only knew a few bands of the genre. I also listened to a lot of rock bands like Linkin Bark, Three Days Graze, and Breaking Beaver (I had gotten those bands when I was 12 and 13). My parents weren’t home yet now, so I started listening to “The Heretic Anthem” by Slipknotter. They were my favorite metal band at the time and the first metal band I got into. I sat and headbanged to the music and sang along as well. However, soon, the door opened, and my abusive parents walked in.

“Hey Alister were back,” Larry said drunkenly.

“Tomorrow you go to Zootopia, enjoy the hellhole that it is!”

They walked in quick, and I was slow to get out my phone to pause the music, so it was still playing when they walked in. It was also right at the chorus.

“Wait Alister!” Larry shouted, “Did that just say 666?!”

“I told you!” Sandy said, “No satanic death metal in our house!”

“Yo,” I said, “It’s not death metal! I’m not into that stuff!” (However I am nowadays).

“This is the last straw!” said Larry, “you know what is coming!”

“Yes I know,” I said sadly, “another beating.”

“No, not this time.”

“You can no longer live with us,” said Sandy, “We can’t have a Satanist in the house.”

I then started to feel sad as I had nowhere to go. I then started to feel happy when I realized that I would probably be moving into Zootopia. A smile started to form on my face.

“You really think this is funny?” Larry asked, “You will now be homeless. I want you out of the house right now! Pack your bags!”

I got all of my stuff into two suitcases and started to walk out the door.

“You know what?!” I said, “I don’t want to live with you anyways! You have never been anything but bad to me. My real family is in Zootopia, and they actually love me. I will leave here and won’t come back! Adios and FUCK YOU BOTH!”

I slammed the door. It took me a few seconds to register what I just said. I had always been afraid to swear, as I knew that it would get me a beating. However, that word slipped right out of my mouth like a riverbank slide. I had crossed a new threshold and was never going back.

I walked all of my stuff down the street and to my friend James McMarmot’s house. He was my only friend in Muskegon and tomorrow was moving to Bunnyburrow. I knew that I could catch a ride to the train station with him.

I knocked in the door. The marmot came to open it and immediately had a shocked expression on his face.

“Alister?” he asked, “what the hell are you doing here?”

“Hi James,” I said, “I got kicked out of my own house.”

“Oh really?” he asked, “I know you didn’t like your parents so maybe that could be a bonus?”

“Yes,” I said, “They caught me listening to Slipknotter. Tomorrow I’m already taking the train to Zootopia to visit my family. However, this time it will be permanent.”

“So I guess we are both leaving this shithole,” James said, “I’ve always wanted to do so.”

“Me too,” I said, “but I never told my parents because I knew what they would do.”

“But you are going to Zootopia,” said James, “I am at least staying in The Midwest.” (Muskegon is in the Midwest so is Bunnyburrow).

Suddenly, James’ mother came in.

“James,” she said, “wait.. ALISTER?!”

“I was kicked out of the house,” I said, “I need to crash here tonight. Tomorrow I am going to Zootopia. I know you are moving to Bunnyburrow tomorrow as well. Can you please drop me off at the train station?”

“Well of course,” said James’ mother, “I can always do that.”

I was now getting more excited.

My phone buzzed as I received a text.

“I’m starting to worry about Emmitt now,” Ashkii said, “can you please help me when you are down there?”

“Yes I will,” I said, “And I will stay with you as well. I can help keep you comfort. I have some exciting news myself when I come down.”

Dinner was made as James and I played Super Smash Bros, along with his older brother Kyle (who always beat us). James was wearing a Pup Evil shirt (they’re from Muskegon) and Kyle was wearing a Barkway Drive shirt.

“Alright,” James’s mother said, “Dinner is ready.”

We had dinner which consisted of vegetable fajitas. We then played Guitar Hero before going to bed.


	2. Comin' In Hot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alister meets a new face on the train to Zootopia, and re-connects with another face once in the city.

The next morning I woke up and got ready. I was wearing a Disturbed shirt. James was wearing a Linkin Bark shirt and Kyle was wearing a Rise Against shirt.  
We got into their car and followed the moving truck (most of the things had been packed the night before) and drove off to Bunnyburrow. As we arrived at the train station, we pulled into the Kiss and Ride.

“Alright Jimmy,” I said to James, “It was a great run with you, but we all have to go our ways eventually.”

“I will continue to keep in touch with you,” I said, “Goodbye!”

They drove off, leaving me with my stuff.

I walked into the station and got my ticket scanned. As I walked to the platform, I saw a large crowd of rabbits. Were they all related? I knew rabbits fucked a lot, but I didn’t know they did it THIS much. There was a banner that said “Good Luck Judy” on it. I looked over and saw a young rabbit (older than me though) talking with her parents. The father pulled out a bunch of fox-proof items (my parents are into that shit as well. They have a weird fear of predators despite them being predators themselves). The young rabbit was not accepting the items and explaining to them that not all predators were bad.

“CHECK THIS OUT!” said the father rabbit, a middle-aged man from Indiana, as he pulled out a pink thingy. He then squeezed it and it let out a large electrical current.

“She has no need for a fox taser, Stu,” said the mother rabbit, a middle aged woman from Eastern Michigan.

“Okay look,” said the young rabbit as she pulled out a canister of fox repellent, “I will take this just to make you stop talking.”

I maybe was going to talk to her on the train. I know exactly what it feels like to get pressured into doing something you don’t like by your parents (they once made me go to a Kid Rock concert and OH MY FUCKING GOD IT WAS HORRIBLE!).

Soon, the train arrived. It was called the “Zootopia Express” and had three different exits for different sized animals.

I rushed onto the train, eager to leave my bumfuck nowhere shithole. Within a few minutes the train departed. I saw the “Now Leaving Bunnyburrow” sign and its population counter which was ticking up by the second. I guess rabbits do really fuck a lot.

Suddenly, I turned around and saw the same rabbit I had seen on the platform, I decided to go up and say hello.

“Hi there,” I said to the rabbit.

“Oh hello otter,” said the rabbit, “what is your name?”

“Alister Otterton,” I said.

“Hi,” the rabbit said back, “I’m Judy Hopps. I am currently moving to Zootopia.”

“Me too,” I said back.

“Wait,” said Judy, “How old are you?”

“Fourteen,” I replied, “I was kicked out of my house. I am now currently moving into my Aunt and Uncle’s house. I visit them every summer, so I already know what the city is like. It is not as bad as what your parents were saying.”

“Yeah,” said the rabbit, “They are a bit crazy.”

“But not as crazy as mine,” I said, “They kicked me out of the house for listening to Slipknotter. They think I’m a Satanist.”

“Oh, that is fucking stupid,” said Judy, “That’s even worse than my parents. They wouldn’t let me follow my dreams.”

“Oh really,” I said, “what were these dreams?”

“I wanted to be a police officer,” said Judy, “but now I’ve lived up to it and graduated from the academy. They said it was impossible because I’d be the first rabbit on the team.”  
“Don’t worry,” I said, “I was the only otter in my entire school until fourth grade,” I said.

“Wait, are you from Bunnyburrow?” Judy asked.

“Muskegon actually,” I said, “1 hour to the West.”

“Ah, that place really is a shithole,” Judy said, “But at least they have Michigan’s Adventure.”

“They do,” I said, “but it has nothing on the Zootopia theme parks. They have 300+ foot roller coasters. I hope to ride them.”

“Damn,” said Judy, “Well I’m going to listen to some music now, but it was great talking to you,” she said.

She walked off and put in her headphones. I put in mine as well and listened to Disturbed’s Immortalized album (they were going to have a concert with Breaking Beaver that I planned to go to). After that, I listened to Breaking Beaver’s Phobia album and then Slipknotter’s .5 The Gray Chapter album (I was 14 and they were my favorite bands at the time).

I was looking out the window when we rounded a bend and went over a large body of water. There, outside the window, was the skyline of Zootopia. I had taken this train many times before, but the view never ceases to amaze me. I also noticed Judy completely awestruck as we passed through Sahara Square, Tundratown, Rainforest District (where I would soon live) and eventually pulled into Savanna Central.

As I got off the train, I carried my luggage with me. I walked through the many mammals (many different species) that were hanging around. I even noticed that Judy Hopps was also walking around, completely awestruck (I still got awestruck even though I visited the city many times).

As I walked out of the station and into Savanna central. A massive Jumbotron had a display of the pop singer Gazelle saying “Welcome to Zootopia” which always happens (though I would prefer if it were Corey Tailor from Slipknotter).

My first stop before I got on the metro was The Pawpsicle Stand. I would go here every time I visited Zootopia and usually multiple times per trip. The pawpsicles were paw shaped and only 2 bucks. The stand was run by a red fox named Nick Wilde who had been doing this for as long as I could remember, as he has always lived here. He and Emmitt were actually pretty good friends, and about five or so years ago he became a family friend.

“Hey Alister!” Nick Wilde said, “mitä tapahtuu!” (he speaks Finnish so do I that means “what is going on” in Finnish).

“I’m here to buy another one of your pawpsicles,” I said.

“Alright, two bucks, just like usual.”

“Also,” I said, “I have a few things to tell you.”

“Do tell,” he said as he leaned in close.

“So,” I said, “Back in the winter, I started listening to Slipknotter and have started getting into even more metal bands now.”

“Oh I always knew you would get there some day,” he said, “And you will go even further as well.”

“Alright,” I said, “but here is the most important one.”

He leaned in even closer.

“I’m permanently moving here.”

“Oh shit,” Nick said.

“Yeah I finally got kicked out of Muskegon. I had to take the train into here from Bunnyburrow and will now live with my Aunt and Uncle.”

“Kinda good,” he said, “I get to see you more often now.”

“Also a bit of bad news. My uncle, Emmitt, has been missing for eight days. We have no idea where he went. Ashkii, my aunt, wants me to come in and comfort her until he comes back. If not in a few days, we might go report to authorities.”

“Oh really?” Nick said, “That’s a shame, I hope he is found. I know how much the two of you get along.”

“Okay,” I said, “This definitely won’t be my last time seeing you,” I said and walked off.


	3. The Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alister arrives at his relatives place and reveals the news to his younger cousins.

I got onto the metro to go to the Rainforest District, where my relatives live. They only recently started allowing me to take public transportation by myself. I eventually got off at the station and immediately walked to Riverbrook Lane (where my relatives live). As I rounded a bend, I soon saw the familiar house. It was like the other houses in the area with two stories and next to a river. I went up to knock on the door. As soon as I did, Ashkii came to open it.

“Alister!” she said as she came and hugged me, “So great that you came! I need you here now.”

“So glad to see you again,” I said, “I have something to tell you.”

Suddenly, Corey and Piper came in. Corey was wearing a blue shirt while Piper was wearing a soccer uniform.

“Cousin Alister!” Corey said.

“AWISER!” Piper said as she mispronounced my name (she was 4).

They both ran up to hug me as well. I didn’t normally do well around children, but I did well around them.

“Now,” I said as we all broke apart, “I have the important news.”

Everyone looked at me attentively.

“I have been kicked out of my house in Muskegon.”

“Oh really?” Ashkii asked.

“Does that mean you will stay with us?” Corey asked.

“Yes it does,” I said.

The two pups cheered loud and continued to run around the house.

“Are you gonna live here?” Piper asked.

“That’s what I want to do,” I said, “Live in the basement.”

“Oh Alister!” Ashkii said, “You can stoatally live with us. As you know, Emmitt has been missing for eight days now. We don’t know where he is. One day, he went to the plant shop and didn’t come back.”

I started to feel sad.

“Tomorrow,” I said, “I may continue to look for him. I’ll ask some of our friends, like Nick Wilde, the pawpsicle dude. I would usually visit his stand with Emmitt.”

“Maybe,” Ashkii said, “You could help find him. I’ve already looked everywhere and could not seem to find him.”

“If we can’t find him by the tenth day,” I said, “I suggest we go to the police station and ask about his disappearance.”

“That is a great idea,” Mrs. Otterton said as she leaned in to hug me, “I know him. He would never disappear on me.”

Corey and Piper were playing with their toys in the living room. Piper was kicking around a soccer ball while Corey was re-creating scenes with his action figures.

“GOAL!” Piper screamed.

“PASHONKA!” Shouted Corey.

Ashkii was making dinner as I got out my phone. I was looking at articles from Loudwire. Disturbed and Breaking Beaver were getting ready for a tour they were going to do this summer. Slipknotter also was doing a tour as well. I also had plans to go to my first Warped Tour as it was also coming to Zootopia and it never comes to Muskegon. I have only been to a few shows in Muskegon. One was a Three Days Graze show I saw with James McMarmot when I was 13. I also, of course, was forced to see Kid Rock that same year in Bunnyburrow. Otherwise, I went to a Gazelle Anthem Concert in 2013 in Zootopia when I visited my relatives. My first concert ever was actually to see Green Day in 2010 when I was 8 and it was with Emmitt and Ashkii. Piper hadn’t been born yet and Corey was only 2.  
Dinner was served. We were having Scottish fried rice with trout, a dish that Emmitt (who is half Scottish btw) had taught us. It was also my favorite dish of theirs when I visited.

“Where’s daddy?” asked Piper.  
“We’re not sure,” said Ashkii, “We have looked for him but now have an extra set of eyes.”

“Yes,” I said, “I will be out looking for him tomorrow. I do know some of his friends in the city as well.”

“Alright,” said Corey, “I want him to be back.”

We finished dinner. Piper went over to watch soccer videos on her iPaw, while Corey went up to his room to play Minecraft. I went over and listened to Quillswitch Engage while unpacking my stuff in the basement. Tonight was my first night as a permanent resident of the city. Tomorrow would reveal some surprises.


	4. The Quest Begins!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alister, with Nick Wilde's help, goes to look for clues on Emmitt Otterton's disappearance.

The next day I woke up. It felt weird to wake up in my aunt’s basement but that always happened when I visited. However, it was even weirder knowing I would be living here for probably the rest of my years. I got myself dressed and put on an Avenged Sevenfold shirt and also put my contacts in (I had just started wearing them last fall). I went upstairs to have a very small breakfast.

The pups were out playing on the backyard swing set while Ashkii was reading the newspaper.

“Yo Ashkii,” I said, “Today is the day I go look.”

She looked at me with her bright green eyes.

“Thank you,” she said, as she hugged me.

I left the house and went to where I knew Nick Wilde usually was. He was at the location where he usually placed his stand. He was also arguing with a possum customer.

“These so called ‘pawpsicles’ are absolute trash!” shouted the possum.

“Don’t tell me,” Nick Wilde said, “tell the one who gave me fake juice.”

“I demand a refund!” the possum screamed back.

“Maybe you should have checked the reviews on Yelp,” Nick said, “I do indeed have some negative ones.”

“I’ll never support your business again!” the possum shouted back.

“Yeah well go find someone else to support,” Nick said, “vitun kusipää.”

After the customer left, I came back.

“Oh if it’s not the Mustelid from the Midwest,” he said to me, “back so soon.”

“Yes,” I said, “I know that you do know Emmitt quite well and have become friends with him.”

“Indeed,” Nick said, “I even got him into Korpiklaani and eventually you will get there soon as well.”

“So,” I said, “Have you seen him recently?”

“Yes I did,” Nick replied, “I actually just saw him 9 days ago.”

“That’s the last day he was seen,” I said, “Ashkii told me he had gone to the plant store and didn’t return.”

“He did eventually leave the plant store,” Nick said, “And came right to me.”

“Did he have something to say?”

“Nah, just coming to buy a pawpsicle like he usually does,” Nick said, “But something wasn’t right.”

“Oh shit really,” I said.

“He seemed to be stressed and in a hurry to get somewhere.”

“Do you know where he was going?” I asked.

“A place called Mystic Springs,” he said, “not too far from here.”

I was not familiar with this place.

“He goes there pretty often,” he said, “that’s where he does his yoga.”

“Alright,” I said, “Where is this place?”

“Sahara square,” Nick said, “not too far.”

I got on the metro and immediately went to Sahara Square. I walked around before finding the place. It was very hot (well over 100 degrees). I had heard that Sahara Square could get big temperature fluctuations. However, I would bet that they are not as bad as the fluctuations we would get in Muskegon (one day it’s 90 the next it’s 40).

As I entered through the entrance, I noticed that a Yak was sitting there meditating, his head was buzzing with flies.

“Ohmmmmmmm,” he said.

“Hello,” I said.

“Ohmmmmm- OH SHIT!” he shouted as he got startled.

“Can I ask a question?”

“Oh really,” he said, “do you want a membership.”

He then suddenly stood up, I looked and realized that he didn’t have any clothes on. Coming from Muskegon, I wasn’t too phased. I just thought that Nick was pranking me again (he likes to do that).

“I am here to ask about someone who did yoga here. He is also my uncle,” I said, trying to make sure this wasn’t a prank.

“Oh your uncle,” he said, “We did have an otter that used to come here. Hasn’t been in over a week now.”

“That might be my uncle,” I said, “his name is Emmitt Otterton.”

“Oh shit, that was him,” he said.

I felt relieved to know that this wasn’t a prank.

“Do you know where he went after this?” I asked.

“He went off to visit another friend,” he said.

“Oh another friend,” I said, “Do you know who he is?”

“No,” said the yak, “he was in a big hurry. He told me that this was urgent and didn’t specify who he was talking to.”

“Oh really,” I said, “Another friend told me that something was a bit off about him that day.”

“Yeah,” he said, “But I hope he comes back soon.”

“Me too,” I said.

“Wait kid, what’s your name?” asked the Yak.

“Alister Otterton,” I said, “I just moved into here from Muskegon.”

“Oh,” he said, “We’ve gotten a few movers coming in from that area. By the way I’m Yax.”

“Well my town was especially a complete shithole,” I said, “but now I live here.”

“Well, I hope to see you again soon.”

“Maybe,” I said as I walked off.

I arrived back at the location where Nick had been selling his pawpsicles.

“So,” he said, “now you know he goes to a nude club.”

“Yes,” I said, “But I’m from Muskegon. I’ve seen much weirder.”

“Oh yes,” Nick said, “Skeeville.”

That is the name that many of its inhabitants call it.

“The owner, Yax, told me that Emmitt was in a big hurry.”

“Yeah, I knew something was off about him that day,” Nick said, “but I don’t know what it was.”

“We will try to find him,” I said, “otherwise, I’ll see you later on.”

“See ya too,” Nick said, “I gotta go do something now.”

He walked back and disappeared around the corner.

I walked back to the house.

“So,” Ashkii said, “anything?”

“Well,” I said, “I learned that he does yoga at a nude club called Mystic Springs.”

“He can get a bit weird sometimes,” Ashkii replied.

“But I also learned that something was not right that day.”

“Oh really?” asked Ashkii.

“I saw Nick Wilde. He told me that Emmitt had gone to his pawpsicle stand and seemed pretty stressed. He then went to go do his naked yoga. The owner of the nude club told me that he seemed to be in a hurry after he left.”

“So, it’s good to see that he made it out of the plant store,” Ashkii said, “but now we still don’t know exactly where he is.”

“Yeah,” I said. I was starting to feel sad along with Ashkii.

“Tomorrow,” my aunt said, “I’ll go report to the police station. Try to see if they can do anything about it.”

“Great,” I said, “Hopefully he can be found.”


	5. A New Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alister and Ashkii go to the police station, where Alister waits outside and sees some weird stuff happen. Eventually, Ashkii comes back with great news: Emmitt can be found.

The next day I got up and put on my Rise Against shirt (btw have you heard their song “Broken Dreams, Inc.”? It rips!) and put on a pair of athletic shorts (I was too young to mosh so wasn’t doing zipper pockets yet). I went upstairs to meet Ashkii.

“Ashkii,” I said, “today we go to the police station.”

“Yes,” she said sadly, “Someone needs to find our Emmitt.”

Ashkii pulled out a picture she had of the house family (because Emmitt was in it). She put it into her purse, and we left. We took the metro to the police station. In the metro station there was a poster that was advertising concerts. They included the Warped Tour and a concert with Barkway Drive. As we got off the metro in Savanna central

As we walked to the police station, I noticed she was about to cry.

“Should I go in with you?” I asked.

“No,” Mrs. Otterton replied, “I’m fine by myself.”

She walked into the police station and I waited outside. As I was waiting, a young Badger from Virginia trundled right up to me.

“Hello there,” he said, “I see you like music as well. I like that Rise Against shirt you got.”

“Thanks,” I said, “My friend bought it for me. I’m new here. I just moved in from Michigan. The name is Alister Otterton.”

“Alright,” said the Badger, “I’m Noah Sebadger and I’m from Virginia, and I got a band.”

“Cool,” I said, “what’s the band name?”

“Badger Omens,” he said, “If you like Bring Me The Horizon you will like us. We have a few singles out. I suggest you listen to them. Can I sell you a shirt?”

“Stoatally,” I said as I got out a 20.

“Thanks for the support,” he said as he gave me the shirt and trundled away.

I pulled up Zootube and listened to a song they had called “Glass Houses.” It absolutely ripped! I definitely support this band. I was also looking at my Facebook on my phone when suddenly I heard a loud noise and looked up.

I noticed a donut sculpture rolling on the ground. However, there was also a weasel trapped inside of it. “BIG GOOCH MOTHERFUCKER!” shouted the weasel as he rolled in through the doors of the police station.

Followed behind the weasel was the same rabbit I saw on the train, except this time as a parking enforcer. What the fuck was she doing? Maybe she was a bit crazy. She barged into the police station and shouted, “I POPPED THE WEASEL!” (that’s what she said lol).

The doors closed. I knew that Ashkii was still in there. I would guess that talking to the police in Zootopia can be quite a hassle, as it has been a pretty long time now. About 5 minutes later, Mrs. Otterton came back out of the police station with a little bit of a smile on her face. I immediately went up to her.

“Alister,” she said as she hugged me, “they can do it!”

“YES!” I screamed as my voice cracked (I was 14 so stfu).

“Her name is Officer Hopps,” she said, “And apparently she is the first rabbit on the entire force.”

“Oh shit,” I said, “I know her.”

“Wait you do?” 

“Yes,” I said, “she is from Bunnyburrow. I often visited that town as it is only 1 hour from Muskegon.”

“Oh nice,” my aunt said.

“I met her on the train on the way down. She also has crazy parents. They are also obsessed with fox repellent and fox tasers like mine are. Maybe it’s a Midwestern   
thing.”

“Oh great,” Ashkii said, “I also have her number so can keep in touch. I’m 100 percent hoping she will find our Emmitt.”

“Me too,” I said.

We took the metro back to our house in the Rainforest District.

When we walked in the house, we were immediately greeted by our cousins.

“Corey! Piper!” Ashkii said, “we have excellent news for you!”

The two listened but were also running around.

“We have someone to find Emmitt,” Ashkii said.

The two pups cheered loud and ran in to hug the both of us.

“I love you,” Piper said.

“Hopefully, in a few days, he will be found,” I said, “And we can all be together, as a family of five.”

“Me too,” said Corey. 

The rest of the day was spent inside. We were in the rainforest district and it is usually cloudy (it is also pretty cloudy in Muskegon but at least the Rainforest District isn’t ugly). 

I started listening to Bullet For My Vulpine’s Venom album which came out last year. Suddenly, I realized that Ashkii was getting into it as well.

“Oh, Ashkii,” I said, “You like this?”

“Yeah it’s actually pretty good,” she said, “Emmitt likes similar music and I like it too.”

I then realized that my two cousins were trying to sing along as well.

“Even the two of you like this,” I said, “Great.”

Once the album finished, Corey piped up. “I want to hear more of your music,” he said.

I then put on Slipknotter’s .5 album as well as Quillswitch Engage’s Incarnate album. My cousins liked both and so did Ashkii.

“Alright,” I said, “I think I am turning you onto my music.”

“You are indeed,” Ashkii said, “I wouldn’t think I would be listening to the newer stuff. Emmitt and I have mainly heard the old school stuff.”

I thought that stuff was pretty heavy at the time but would eventually grow to realize there was much heavier and they would realize too.

It was night and we had dinner. Tonight we were having baked salmon with lemon glaze. It was very good.

It was almost time to go to sleep (I was younger, so I went to sleep earlier) but then Ashkii got a text on her phone.

“Oh, Alister,” she said, “some news.”

“What is it?” I asked.

“It’s from Officer Hopps. She says she has teamed up with one of the last known mammals to see Emmitt.”

“Oh really,” I asked.

“Said it was actually Nick Wilde. Turns out he has hustled pawpsicles for the past 20 years.”

“Oh shit,” I said, “our friend. I buy those ‘pawpsicles’ from him every time I visit. Oh shit he was a hustler?”

“According to Hopps,” Ashkii said.

“I supported his business for years and so did Emmitt. I can deal with this though because he is cool. Plus, as you know, he is also a metalhead. He especially likes the stuff from Finland like Battle Beast, Korpiklaani, and Nightwish because he is part Finnish. Kinda strange that this whole thing is going on.”  
“Yeah,” Ashkii said, “they said they traced him to Mystic Springs. They found out the license plate and ran it at the DMV. All the employees were sloths, so it took a long time but now they know the car.”

“Great,” I said. I was only 14 so I wasn’t old enough to drive yet.

“Now they’ve found out. It was a limousine in Tundratown. They just texted me telling me that they are on their way to find the car.”

“Noice!” I said, “We’re getting closer. I’m going downstairs to sleep now.”

“Alright,” Ashkii said, “hopefully, in the morning, we have a better sense.”

I went downstairs.


	6. Very Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alister and Ashkii learn more information about Emmitt's case, and even more backstory into Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Otter’s Note: STOP BEING A PREP! Nick Wilde is acting differently because he is friends with Alister. You need to read My Immortal. PS Alister is only 14 in this so that is why he is talking about those specific bands. His taste has changed throughout the past years. Plus the new Bring Me The Horizon album is very good. It’s just too short. Plus Nick Wilde has ancestors from Finland and is related to Jonne from Korpiklaani. That is why he loves Korpiklaani so much. Also you need to read my Of Fur and Fire trilogy.

I woke up the next morning and put on a black Slipknotter shirt. They were still my favorite band back then. Corey Tailor had injured his neck and had to perform in a neck brace. I got my contacts in and went upstairs.

As I went upstairs, I noticed Ashkii with a look of confusion on her face.

“Ashkii,” I said as I went up to hug her, “what is it.”

“I don’t understand,” she said, “what happened?”

“Okay what actually did happen?”

“So,” she said, “Hopps texted me. They told me he went off to visit Mr. Big. He is a notorious crime boss, but Emmitt is also his florist, so we get along quite well. Turns out, it was his daughter Fru Fru’s wedding and Judy had actually saved her life earlier on. They were invited to the wedding.”

“And,” I said.

“Before getting there, they found the car he rode in. Emmitt didn’t actually make it to Mr. Big’s place. There were claw marks everywhere, so they assumed he was attacked. Apparently, Emmitt attacked the driver and was on all fours. They mentioned him yelling about so-called ‘night howlers’ before attacking. The driver made it out, but Emmitt soon disappeared.”

“Oh fuck,” I said, as I felt a worrying stress in my body.

“Then,” Ashkii said as she started to get more emotional, “They visited the driver. He was about to give them more information.”

“And them?”

“He went savage.”

“OH FUCK!”

“Hopps told me that the driver, who was a Jaguar, chased them throughout the Rainforest District and apparently we all slept through it. When they tried to show Chief Bogo, the Jaguar was gone, and no one believed her. She nearly lost her badge but then Nick spoke back to defend her.”

“I fucking love that dude even more now,” I said.

“Nick told her all about his traumatic childhood.”

He hasn’t told me about that too much. All I know is that he once went through a lengthy emo phase back in the 2000s.

“Said that he tried to join the Ranger Scouts but was bullied out of the group for being a fox.”

“Oh fuck.”

“However, He and Judy Hopps are getting along pretty well now. Nick looked at the rush hour traffic to see how backed up it was. Hopps was reminded to search the traffic cams to see what happened to the Jaguar.”

“Alright,” I said.

“Right now, they are on their way to the City Hall to check.”

“Great,” I said, “Maybe soon we will see what happened to Emmitt.”

“I’m still hoping,” Ashkii said.

I had a breakfast of smoked salmon. The two pups were watching cartoons in the TV room. Piper still had her soccer ball and Corey was jumping on the couch. I started listening to Avenged Sevenfold and Weasel War. I tried to see if Ashkii liked it as well. 

“I think I am getting into more of your music,” Ashkii said.

“Great,” I said, “hopefully Emmitt will enjoy it when he comes back.”

“We can only hope,” Ashkii said as she went up to hug me. I hugged her back.

A few hours later, Ashkii got a text on her phone.

“Oh,” she said, “it is probably them.”

She immediately got out and looked at her phone.

“Oh shit,” she said as she looked at her phone.

“What is it?” I asked as I came over.

“They found him,” she said, “he’s alive.”

I breathed a sigh of relief.

“But,” she said, “He was off.”

“I remember Nick telling me he was off the day he went missing.”

“They said he was very off,” she said, “he wasn’t responding to anything they said to him. Most of his clothes were missing and his glasses were broken. He wasn’t saying any words but instead was making strange noises.”

“Oh shit,” I said as my heart sank.

“They said he went savage.”

I was stressed now.

“They found out where the Jaguar had been taken. The Jaguar was there and so were many other missing mammals. They all appeared to have gone savage.”

“Fuck.”

My hope had dropped a lot. I was now uncertain about Emmitt. Would he break out of this? Would this be permanent?

“Hopps told me she has a press conference tomorrow about the case. The mammals will be put in a hospital. She invited me to see his condition once he is ready.” I could see her start to cry.

“I’ll come too,” I said, “I know you want my company.”

“Oh thank you so much Alister!” she said as we hugged each other. 

“We can still hope,” I said, “that he will eventually be okay.”

We then let go. 

“Also, Ashkii,” I asked.

She looked at me sadly.

“Can I please sleep in your bed tonight?”

“Oh of course Alister,” she said, “and every night until Emmitt is back.”

We leaned in to hug once more.


	7. A new idea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Judy Hopps blames a "biological component" for the savage predators, the Otterton family in confused. However, Alister senses something suspicious about the whole thing.

I woke up the next day, wearing a shirt that wasn’t from a band. Just hearing about what happened to Emmitt, I could still not believe that this was happening. What was it? 

Ashkii and I went downstairs, barely hungry for breakfast. I just had a protein bar but that was it. The TV was on in the TV room. Corey and Piper were both playing. They were still young and couldn’t fully understand what was happening and all.

“There is going to be a press conference with Officer Hopps on TV about what happened,” Ashkii said.

“Okay,” I said, “Hopefully we can find some truth about the incident.”

We changed the channel to ZNN. The press conference was coming up soon.

“Corey, Piper,” Ashkii said, “we may soon know more about Emmitt.”

Soon, the press conference started. Chief Bogo was on TV (Ashkii had told me about him the other day and how he was not so nice). 

“Fourteen mammals went missing, and all fourteen mammals have been found by our newest recruit,” he said into the microphones.

“Hopefully, she can tell us something,” I said, “she was pretty nice on the train.”

“Good thing to know that they are all in good health,” Ashkii said.

Soon, Chief Bogo introduced Judy Hopps to the podium, and she came up.

“That’s indeed who I met on the train,” I said.

All the reporters tried to get their questions in. A beaver reporter asked if she knew anything about the savage mammals, including Emmitt.

“Are they all different species?” Hopps said, “Yes, yes they are.”

When asked if there was a connection between all of them, she responded by noting that they were all predators.

“I mean they are,” I said, “but who knows?”

She was asked once again, and said that she didn’t know, but then suggested that it might be because of their “biology.”

“What does she mean?” Ashkii asked.

She then suggested that since predators used to survive by attacking and eating prey species, that they might be reverting back to their ways.

“What the fuck?” I asked.

“I didn’t think she was like this,” Ashkii said.

“She’s starting to sound like residents in Muskegon. Everyone was afraid that predators might one day return to their primitive ways. Even my parents believed that, despite being predators themselves.”

“She must be on something,” Corey said.

“This is not her,” Ashkii said, “there must be something wrong. Shit like this doesn’t happen.”

“Wait, mom,” Corey said, “Did you just say the s-word?”

“I guess I did,” she said sadly, “With all of this going on, I might as well do it more. Even the two of you are allowed to say it.”

“So I can actually say ‘shit’?” Corey asked.

“Yes,” Ashkii said, “and other words as well.”

I knew that soon Corey would teach some of those words to Piper.

“Does she really believe in this?” Ashkii said, “I mean, maybe it was something ingrained into her by her parents, but I would think she would have let this go.”

“Maybe,” I said, “she will say something to us. I still know she invited us to see him in the hospital. Maybe there she will tell us.”

“Hopefully,” Ashkii said, “I haven’t heard this belief too much in Zootopia. It was relatively common back where I grew up in Virginia.”

Just like me she is also from another country. The Zoonited States is a large country that contains both Michigan and Virginia. Zootopia, however, is a city-state and its own country. It’s like Singapurr but even bigger.

“This seems suspicious,” I said as I got off the couch and walked around the room, “I mean, one would not just go savage without some outside factor. One would not just suddenly evolve back into their primitive ways. Someone is definitely in control of this.”

“A WIZARD!” Piper shouted.

“JUST LIKE VOLSEMORT!” Corey said, as he picked up a broom and rode it, “I’m Harry Otter!”

“Maybe not that,” I said. My cousins were still too young to fully grasp the difference between fantasy and reality.

“Then what could it be?”

“Maybe this is all staged,” I said, “Maybe someone is trying to make them look savage.”

“Who the fuck could it be?” Ashkii asked.

“I have no fucking clue,” I said.

“Neither do I,” said Ashkii.

“But,” I said, as my ears perked up, “maybe if this is all staged, there can be a way to stop the whole thing. We can get our Emmitt back.”

“Oh Alister,” Ashkii said as she went up to hug me, “you just got a light above your head.”

“I mean, that’s what happens in the movies.”

“No, seriously.”

I looked up. The light above my head did actually just turn on. It has been going on and off throughout the day.

“Hopefully,” Ashkii said, “but we still don’t know.”

“I can keep up hope,” I said, “but I’m still unsure.”

There was no time for celebration just yet.


	8. The Guests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alister still holds his belief as the city dissolves into chaos. They see Emmitt's condition and realize just how bad it is. Two different meetings with Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde change views on all sides.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Suicide

It was now two weeks after the conference on TV. I was still holding onto hope that this whole thing would soon be cured. I was waiting for a breakthrough on how this whole “savage predator” thing was staged. The rest of the family was holding on to hope as well, but it was getting hard. The city was beginning to dissolve into chaos. Many actually believed that this whole “savage evolution” theory was real. I constantly heard various prey species telling predator species to “go back to the woods,” and shit like that. Even many predators believed this as well. I was starting to hear stories about predators committing suicide because they thought they would eventually go savage. I didn’t get as much hate as others did, due to me being smaller (as with other mustelids as well). There were starting to be more savage attacks happening. However, Emmitt was still the only mustelid to have gone savage. The rest were all either big cats, large canids (like wolves), and bears. Mayor Lionheart had been arrested for the way he treated the savage mammals (they were in an abandoned hospital) and Assistant Mayor Bellwether had now taken his place. Ashkii had met her in the police station and said that she didn’t seem so bad.

“Judy Hopps says today would work for us to go to the hospital,” Ashkii said, “she also says she has something to tell us.”

“What does she have to tell us?” I asked.

“She first of all says she’s sorry for what she has stirred up,” Ashkii said.

“That’s good at least,” I said.

“And she has more to tell us when we see her.”

“And I have a lot to tell her as well,” I said.

“Thank you so much Alister,” Ashkii said, “For keeping me company through this ordeal.

We all got in the car and took it to the hospital. We noticed Judy Hopps was already there. Her ears were down, which meant she was sad (growing up in the Midwest, I spent a lot of time around rabbits, so I know all of their cues).

“Officer Hopps,” Ashkii said as she went in to hug her.

“Mrs. Otterton,” Judy replied, “I’m so sorry.”

“I know,” Ashkii replied.

“I did not mean to cause all of this shitshow,” Judy Hopps said, “As I have come to realize, what I had said makes zero sense. There is no way that a predator can just evolve like that. I don’t actually believe that it is their biology. My parents are big into that though. Also, I’m never carrying that fox repellent around anymore. Who the fuck knows what I eventually did to my friend. I worry about him daily.”

“I got something,” I said.

Her ears slightly perked up as she looked at me.

“I think that there is an outside component to this whole thing,” I told her.

“IT’S A WIZARD!” Piper squeaked.

“Just like Volsemort,” said Corey.

“Well, not actually that,” I said, “but I think this whole ‘savage’ thing must be staged. There must be someone behind this. With the exception of Emmitt, the only predators going savage are the larger ones.”

“Oh really,” Judy Hopps said, “I’ve never thought of that.”

“Alright,” Ashkii said, “Where is my Emmitt?”

“Come right with me,” Judy Hopps said. After hearing our reassurance, she wasn’t as sad.

We followed her into the building and went up the elevator.

“All the savage mammals are up in here,” Judy Hopps said, “It does not look good.”

My heart started to sink a bit more.

We got off the elevator and into a hallway. In each room, there was a savage mammal. Indeed I saw that they were all big cats, larger canids, and bears.

“Emmitt is further down this way,” Judy said, “warning, this might be a bit hard. He doesn’t respond to anything.”

We were finally led to another room at the end of the hall. In the room was a hospital bed with IV tubes. I then looked over to the left and that is where I saw a pole. Attached to that pole was a leash. There, wearing a collar attached to the leash, was Emmitt. He wasn’t saying anything. All he did was walk around the pole and make weird noises. He was on all-fours as well. Ashkii was the first to go up to get a full look at it.

As she stood there, a look of disbelief came across her face. As I watched her, my heart sank even further. I didn’t know just how bad the ‘savage’ state was. Judy Hopps went up to comfort her.

“That’s not my Emmitt,” Ashkii said sadly, as her head hung even lower. My cousins and I came up for comfort as well.

“Hopefully,” I said, “there will be an end to this, but who the hell knows.”

After about 10 minutes, we were walked back to our car. Ashkii could barely hold it together, yet she was still okay with driving home. 

As we got home, Ashkii immediately went onto the couch to cry. I follower her.

“I just couldn’t stand it,” she said, “to see him like that. Who the fuck knows if he is ever going to be better.”

“I know,” I said as I started to cry along with her, “but I am still holding out hope. Someday, we might find out. Fuck, maybe even Judy Hopps could be the one to find out.”

“Maybe,” she said as she hugged me, “It’s just too hard.”

“Yes,” I said, “Maybe I might actually try that heavier stuff. I am still a beginner and haven’t gotten into the whole shebang yet.”

Suddenly, we heard a loud knocking at the door. I immediately got up to see who was there.

“Oh shit,” I said as I looked through the peephole.

Right outside was Nick Wilde. He was wearing a black Battle Beast shirt that said “Unholy Savior” on it. I immediately opened the door.

“Hei,” he said in Finnish, “Alister, Ashkii, it is great to see you.”

“You too,” I said

“I have something to say, may I please come in?”

“Of course,” I said as he closed the door and walked inside.

“So,” he said as he sat down on a chair, “I’d been working with the rabbit cop that had been tasked with finding Emmitt.”

“She told us,” Ashkii said.

“And then she betrayed me,” Nick said, “I knew that she seemed suspicious when she carried a canister of fox repellent around.”

“Oh, Mr. Wilde,” Ashkii said, “We saw the whole thing on TV. However, we also met with her today.”

“Oh really,” he said as he leaned in close.

“She told us that she did not mean to cause all this chaos,” she said, “She seemed very sincere. She told us that now she doesn’t believe that it is a biological component. She isn’t sure what is going on.”

“If she says so.”

“No really,” replied my aunt, “she told me that she doesn’t carry around the fox repellent anymore. She is even completely worried about you. You could see it on her face.”

“Okay, look,” Nick Wilde said, “I believe you. I might forgive her if I ever see her again. It is just hard to trust anyone in this city. I mean, Alister knows not to trust as well.”

“Indeed,” I said (I lost my trust a long time ago).

“But still,” he said, “I’m also worried about Emmitt and what has happened to him. I also worry about what might happen to the rest of you as well.”

“Oh thank you so much, little fox,” Ashkii said as she ran up to hug Nick.

“And I got something to tell you,” I said.

“Alrighty-there, slidey,” Nick Wilde said to me (that’s another nickname he used for me).

“I think that there is an outside factor.” I said, “I think that there might be someone or even multiple someone’s behind this. If that is the case, they are going to pay so bad.”

“IT’S A WIZARD!” squeaked Piper.

“Just like Volsemort,” Corey said.

“It’s pronounced Voldemort,” Nick said.

“He’s been reading My Immortal a lot as of late,” I said, “and he is missing a tooth.”

“Alright now that makes sense,” Nick said.

“The only predators going savage, with the exception of Emmitt, are larger ones. There are big cats, bears, and the only canids going savage so far are wolves.”

“Oh,” Nick said, “I haven’t fully realized that yet.”

“Also,” I said, “Given that someone might be behind all of this, maybe there is a way out of it.”

“Oh,” Nick said, “you might possibly be right. All of you.”

“Thank you,” I said, “You’re so great.”

“Thank you too,” he said, “It is always a pleasure with A-man around.”

We followed him out and opened the door for him.

“I will hopefully see you soon again,” he said.

“Us too,” I said.

“Oh yeah, and one more thing,” he said, “In hard times like this, I suggest you look up the band ‘Carnifox’. They are pretty good. My hustling partner is a huge fan, and I listen to them when I am really mad. They have a new album coming out soon called Slow Death.”

“Thank you so much,” I said as he walked away.

With us being more angry, I decided to look up the band. I had never heard of them before but expected something heavy.

I went on Zootube and looked up the band. I noticed a song that they had that was called “Lie To My Face” and decided to play it. I was soon hit by a barrage of blast beats and barely audible vocals. Not what I was expecting at first, as I wasn’t into deathcore yet.

However, as I kept listening to the song, I decided I actually liked it. It literally made me want to destroy some shit.

“Oh, this actually sounds pretty good,” Ashkii said. The two pups agreed as well, as they were starting to move to the music.

Soon, a massive breakdown hit. I started to feel myself headbang intensely. This wasn’t a normal headbang, it was a full body movement. Ashkii and the pups were getting into it as well.

“Oh shit,” I said as the song soon finished, “that was actually pretty tight. I’m gonna listen to more of their stuff.”

I looked up more of their songs. They were all also very good. Each one, I felt as if the singer was going through the same shit that I was going through. I fucking loved it.

“This band fucking rocks!” said Piper (that was the first time she ever used a swear word). 

“Ah, it is great to have him as a friend,” I said, referring to Nick.

“Maybe,” Ashkii said, “his music can get me through this.”

“Maybe,” I said, as I hugged her.

I still hoped we would eventually get through this.


	9. A Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Months have now passed since the Ottertons first went in to check on Emmitt's condition. The city remains divided and chaotic with little hope. However, Judy Hopps makes a phone call with an important revelation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Suicide

Two months had now passed since the first visit to the hospital. Ashkii and I had gone in a few more times to check on his condition. Each time, it was just as bad, if not worse. The city remained divided, and I was on the receiving end. I often tried to explain my theory, but no one listened. My two cousins still believed that it was a wizard’s spell driving the savagery. Due to the division, many concerts and other events planned in the city had been postponed with dates yet to be announced. Nick Wilde checked on me via text daily, and still made visits to our house. He now introduced us to some even heavier music. We now listened to deathcore, death metal, and now many other subgenres thanks to him. I was hearing stories about even more predators committing suicide, being afraid to go savage. There were still no further clues as to why this whole thing might be happening. I still had a little bit of hope left for Emmitt. 

Not too long ago, Judy Hopps resigned from the department. The new mayor Bellwether was trying to make her the new face of the ZPD and said that she could “protect against predators” or some shit like that. She definitely started seeming suspicious now, buying into this whole thing. Hopps was back in Bunnyburrow, working back on the carrot farm she grew up on. 

The savage attacks were continuing, but now were just starting to broaden. We started seeing mid-sized and smaller predators going savage as well. A Fossa had gone savage a few weeks ago and just the other day a Wolverine had gone savage as well (Besides Emmitt, it was the first case of a mustelid). Today I read that a red fox (it was not Nick) and a Mink had gone savage, the count was now well up into the triple digits.

I was starting to be afraid as well. I wondered if maybe someday, whatever or whoever is causing the attacks will try to turn me savage. We were now staying inside the house more often. I was usually screaming along to the heavy music that now the rest of my family thoroughly enjoyed.

I was also now extremely anti-religious. There was some push by religious extremists trying to say that the whole savage predator thing was a “second coming,” a big load of shit! Ashkii and I had both grown up in extremely religious households. I was indoctrinated into it at first, but a few years ago started to realize the flaws. I was a complete atheist starting around age 12 or so. I also realized just what organized religion has done to the world, and was also completely anti-religious (so was the whole household now as well, Emmitt was already an atheist).

It was another day. I was lying down on the couch and listening to Chelsea Grin. Suddenly, Ashkii’s phone started to ring.

“Oh fuck!” she said as she looked at the screen, “it’s Officer Hopps.”

She then picked up the phone to answer.

“Oh you do?” she asked as her ears perked up, “Oh, I’m putting it on speaker mode right now.”

She put the phone on speaker mode.

“It’s me,” Judy Hopps said through the phone, “I have some EXTREMELY important news!” 

“Oh wow!” I said as I ran up to the phone.

“I NOW KNOW WHY THE PREDATORS ARE GOING SAVAGE!”

“OH SHIT!” We all said in unison. Piper and Corey came up as well.

“Someone is using these toxic flowers called ‘Night Howlers’ to make the predators go savage! I was at the farm and learned that the toxic flowers we use to keep bugs away are known as “night howlers”. I saw someone steal bulbs for these flowers my second day on the job and didn’t know why. I’m on my way back to Zootopia. I’m gonna try to solve this shit! Bye!”

“Oh fuck!” Ashkii said as she hung up the phone.

“Didn’t she say a few months ago,” I said, “that Emmitt had yelled about ‘night howlers’ before he went savage?”

“She did!”

“Well of course Emmitt would know about the flowers,” I said, “He is a Florist!”

“Yes!” Ashkii said.

“And maybe, if this is all because of a poison, there might be a treatment. We could have our Emmitt back!”

“Oh Alister,” Ashkii said as she hugged me harder than ever before, “I love you so much. I know Emmitt will be delighted to have you in this house.”

“THE WIZARD WILL BE STOPPED!” Piper squeaked.

“Adios Volsemort,” said Corey as he rode around on a broom, pretending to be Harry Otter.

“I mean, maybe not a wizard using the night howlers but could be,” I said, trying not to break it to them that magic wasn’t real (or so I thought).

“But you really thought that this might be the case,” Ashkii said.

“Yes,” I said, “Maybe it’s from Emmitt’s side. I remember he has some royal blood from medieval Scotland, and he says that it always helps him. That also means that I have the royal blood from medieval Scotland. That is always what my grandfather Thomas used to tell me! And now we finally have our chance!”

Not too long later, my phone buzzed.

“Who’s there?” I said, as I opened the lock screen.

Nick Wilde had texted me. I opened my messages but then Ashkii’s phone buzzed as well.

“Nick Wilde just texted!” I said, “He says that Judy Hopps came back to him.”

“And now Judy Hopps just texted me,” Ashkii said, “says she found Nick, thought he was never going to forgive her. Told me they both reconciled for a hug and have gotten back together.”

“Well Nick just told me that it was because of his first visit at our house that he forgave Judy. He wasn’t sure until we told about it.”

I looked at Ashkii, knowing that a lot of this was due to her telling about Hopps. She looked back at me with a smile on her face. I had never seen her smile like that in a really long time. 

“Told me that they are on their way to find the night howlers,” I said, “Told me that they found a particular weasel named Duke Weaselton. Hopps had arrested him for stealing bulbs, and now they will try to see if he can give more info. Said he’s half Norwegian and into crime.”

“She also arrested a weasel by sticking them in a giant donut when I went into the station,” Ashkii said, “Fucking weird.”

“I saw him too, on his way in,” I said. “Wilde told me that they are getting closer and closer to solving. Also told me that they are listening to “Black John” by Stone Sour because he knows that is my favorite dance song.”

Ashkii came in and hugged me hard.

“Alister,” she said with a smile, “I think we are really getting there.”


	10. Hope Restored

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Ottertons learn who is behind the whole savage conspiracy, and that they will get Emmitt back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Otter's Note: I saw THREE OTTERS SWIMMING today! They were playing and eating fish! I watched them for about 45 or so minutes before they disappeared. In otter news: THE BREAKDOWN GOES BOOM!

It was later in the day, Piper and Corey were watching TV, Ashkii was trying to learn the Hurdy-Gurdy (something she started during the time of chaos), and I was sitting next to my cousins on the couch eating salt and vinegar chips while listening to “Bottom Feeder” by Barkway Drive and looking at metal news on my phone. Suddenly, I heard a loud noise.

“What happened to the show?” asked Corey.

I sat up and paused my music, I then saw that it was a breaking news story from ZNN.

“OMG ASHKII GET IN HERE RIGHT FUCKING NOW!” I said. We were all now looking at the TV

“Mayor Bellwether is behind bars today,” said Fabienne Growley, one of the newscasters, “guilty of masterminding the savage attacks that have plagued Zootopia as of late.”

Everyone looked at me as my jaw dropped right to the floor.

“HOLY SHIT!” I said, “I KNEW IT ALL ALONG! I KNEW SOMETHING WAS SUSPICIOUS!”

“And it was Bellwether,” Ashkii said, “She seemed nice at first but def a bit suspicious.”

The TV cut to Bellwether being arrested.

“SHE’S THE WIZARD!” Piper shouted as she pointed at the screen.

“VOLSEMORT!” Corey squeaked loudly.

The other newscaster, Peter Moosebridge, described how Leodore Lionheart (the mayor of the city when I moved in) claimed to have no idea that this was going on.

“It was a classic ‘doing the right wrong thing for the right reason’ kind of deal,” Lionheart said, as he got interviewed by a porcupine.

“In other news,” said Fabienne Growley, “the night howler antidote is proving effective at curing the afflicted predators.”

Just then, Ashkii’s phone started to ring.

“Hello?” she said excitedly as she immediately picked it up, “Oh hi there Officer Hopps! I just saw the news, was it you who found out?”

A short pause followed.

“Oh you really did it!” Ashkii said into the phone, “You’ve finally brought justice to that motherfucker, I am SO proud of you. Oh it was you AND Nick doing it together!”

My phone buzzed as well. I then noticed that I received a text from Nick Wilde.

“We did it,” he texted me.

“Yes you did,” I texted back.

“No,” he texted me again, “you were part of this too. If it weren’t for your aunt, we wouldn’t have done this together. Also you knew all along that something was happening with this.”

The texts brought a smile to my face, something that I hadn’t done so much in the past few months.

“OH HE’S GOT THE TREATMENT!” Ashkii shouted excitedly into the phone, “HE’LL BE READY TOMORROW! AT 11 AM! OH THANK YOU SO MUCH! I’LL SEE YOU THERE!”

Ashkii then hung up the phone.

“Emmitt will be ready tomorrow!” Ashkii shouted excitedly, “At 11 am, Officer Hopps will be there.”

“OH YAS!” Corey shouted, “WE’LL FINALLY BE BACK TOGETHER!”

We all ran to hug Mrs. Otterton.

“Oh I can’t wait,” I said, “Now he’ll have me around in the house for the foreseeable future.”

“He’ll be so delighted,” Ashkii said, “You will bring joy to his life.”

Piper then got out her iPaw and started playing “The River” by Weasel War.

“THIS SONG FUCKING RIPS!” she said, “Aliter taught me how to say dat.” (She was getting better at pronouncing my name).

“It really does,” I replied, “I taught you right.”

I immediately started headbanging.

“Fucking party!” Corey shouted, as he and Piper ran around. Ashkii looked in delight.

When the song finished, We all went into the living room.

“Oh,” I said, “we need to decorate the house for Emmitt’s return!”

“Oh yes Alister!” Ashkii said, I’d hadn’t seen her this happy in such a long time.

“I can start,” said Corey. He was now approaching his 8th birthday pretty soon.

“Thank you all so much,” Ashkii said, “Such a pleasure, and we finally get to see him!”

We hadn’t felt this happy in such a long time.


	11. Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Emmitt recovers from the Night Howlers, Alister and crew tell him all about what happened.

The next day I woke up and put on a Quillswitch Engage shirt. It was my first time in a while that I wore a band shirt again. I was so excited at the prospect of seeing Emmitt again. I had barely slept last night and was very tired. However, my excitement kept me awake.

Ashkii was wearing a blue knitted sweater. Corey was wearing a shirt that said “I love Minecraft” on it while Piper was wearing her soccer uniform.

“Alright,” Ashkii said, “11 am is what officer Hopps said. The hospital is a 20 minute drive.”

I looked at my watch to see the time. It was currently 10 am. I had just finished a small breakfast and was sitting on the couch.

“So,” I said, “We should leave 30 minutes from now.”

“Oh I can’t wait,” Corey said.

“She also said that I should go in first,” Ashkii said, “The rest of you can come in once he wakes up.”

That makes sense, as Ashkii has known Emmitt the longest out of all of us. I went to their wedding when I was 3 but don’t remember it.

Before we knew it, it was 10:30. We were now starting to leave the house. We got into Ashkii’s Prius and drove to the hospital. Immediately outside we met Officer Hopps. She was back in her police uniform.

“Officer Hopps!” Mrs. Otterton said excitedly as she ran in to hug her, “Thank you so much for what you’ve done!”

“Welcome,” Hopps replied, “And don’t forget to thank Nick Wilde as well, he might come to visit too.”

“Oh great!” Ashkii replied. He was now becoming a good friend with the rest of my family.

We followed Officer Hopps into the hospital and took the elevator up one floor. We walked down a white hallway and were led to a room numbered 1992. 

“Mrs. Otterton,” Judy said, “You can go in. They say he’ll be awake shortly.”

My cousins and I stood off to the side as Ashkii went into the room. Inside, we saw Emmitt in his hospital bed asleep. Ashkii sat down on a chair to read a book while waiting. I looked at Facebook on my phone. Corey was playing a video game on his phone while Piper was watching videos on her tablet. I was eager to finally talk to my uncle again.

Within a few minutes, I looked up to see through the slightly open door. I could not believe it. Emmitt was waking up. I was too excited to say anything but alerted my cousins so they could see as well.

Ashkii, who was sitting on the chair, noticed as well.

“Emmitt?!” she said excitedly as her ears perked up and she got off of her chair.

Emmitt then awoken even further to notice that Ashkii was right there.

“OH EMMITT!” Ashkii said as she ran up to hug him. I had never seen her this happy ever before. I had also never been this excited in my whole life as well.

As the two embraced each other for the hug, Ashkii then looked back at Judy Hopps, thanking her for this moment.

“Oh, Ashkii,” Emmitt said, “what just happened?”

“We’ll all tell you,” Ashkii replied happily.

Judy Hopps then motioned for my cousins and I to come into the room, which we then did.

“Oh, Corey, Piper!” Emmitt said excitedly, “and even Alister!”

We each leaned in to hug him. I hadn’t seen him since the winter. Every winter we fly out to Vermont to go skiing.

“Yes, it is me,” I said, “I finally got kicked out of Muskegon and now live here in the basement.”

Emmitt’s smile increased as he leaned in to hug me even more.

“Oh Alister,” he said, “I love you so much.”

Judy Hopps walked a bit closer.

“Who is that?” Emmitt asked, pointing at her.

“That,” Ashkii said, “is who saved you. Her name is Judy Hopps. We thought we wouldn’t get you back.”

“And she is from the Midwest!” I said autistically (Otter’s note: I have autism myself so this isn’t ableist. Alister also has autism as well).

“Bunnyburrow, to be exact,” said Corey.

Suddenly, the door opened a bit more and I looked back.

“McFluff!” Nick Wilde shouted as he came in. He was wearing a black Finntroll shirt and a pair of sunglasses with the Nightwish logo on them, “It is so great to see you back, finally!”

“Nick ‘da mothafucken axegrinderrr’ Wilde,” Emmitt said (that was the name of Nick’s old Zootube channel).

They also hugged as well.

“So,” Emmitt said, “I was on my way to see Mr. Big. I’m his florist. That day, I had heard from someone that a bear had gone savage in Tundratown. I immediately knew that it had been the night howlers. After buying a pawpsicle from my motherfucker Nick right here, I went to Mystic Springs to remove my stress. I knew that soon, there would be more night howler instances around the city. I knew I had to go tell Mr. Big about it. I got in a limo and was on my way there. However, somewhere in the Rainforest District, I was hit by a small object. I knew exactly what it was.”

“So THAT was why you were so off,” Nick said, “You knew about it as well.”

“I tried to warn my driver, but before he could respond, everything went black and now I’m in here.”

“You went savage,” Ashkii said.

“IT WAS A WIZARD!” shouted Piper.

“Volsemort!” said Corey.

“Ah, you two,” Emmitt said, “When I was a kid, my father, Thomas, would tell me storied about my Scottish ancestors. He would talk about how they fought evil wizards, killed goblins, and rode on magic dragons. I loved those days.”

“After you got hit,” Officer Hopps said, “You attacked the driver and ran off. You got captured and were put into an abandoned hospital.”

“Oh really,” he said, “definitely not this one.”

“I moved in about a week later,” I said, “My parents had caught me listening to Slipknotter and thought I was a Satanist. I even met Judy Hopps on the train.”

“Yes,” Officer Hopps said, “I’m from Bunnyburrow, 1 hour from Muskegon.”

“Alister had asked me about your whereabouts,” Nick said to Emmitt, “he went looking at places where you may have been. He still couldn’t find you.”

“And then,” Ashkii said, “I went to the police station, see if anyone could find you.”

“She found me,” Judy Hopps said, “I was one of your case solvers, Nick joined me as well.”

“I was the last one known to see you,” Nick said, “She tried to arrest me but then I joined in to assist. Eventually, we found you savage in cliffside asylum.”

“You seriously didn’t respond to anything we said,” Judy Hopps said.

“Then,” Nick said, “Carrots right here tried to blame a ‘biological component’ on the savagery.”

“Shut the fuck up!” Judy said, “That’s what I thought at first. I was indoctrinated into that belief back in the Midwest. I then realized that it didn’t make ANY sense at all about a week later.”

“Just playin’ with ya,” Nick said.

“The city became a whole circle pit of chaos,” I said, “Everyone believed this. But I knew something was wrong. I knew someone was behind all of this.”

“Ha ha! It’s that Scottish blood!” Emmitt said, as he patted me on the back.

“Hopps took us in to see you in your savage state. You were quite a sight to behold,” Ashkii said.

“I visited their house as well,” Nick said, “They are the reason why I eventually forgave Officer Hopps and why you see the two of us standing here. We helped solve this together.”

“Plus you even got us into deathcore!” I said to Nick, “Carnifox fucking rips!”

“As the city got more chaotic,” Judy said, “and more predators went savage, I resigned from the department and moved back to Bunnyburrow.”

“It was a long few months right there,” I said, “but Nick’s music helped us.”

“One day,” Judy said, “I learned about what these ‘night howlers’ really were and immediately came back.”

“After she thought I wouldn’t forgive her,” Nick said, “we got to solve this case together. We found out that a half-Norwegian Weasel had been selling the Night Howlers.”

“Oh, Duke ‘Big Gooch’ Weaselton,” Emmitt said, “Weird guy.”

“Yep that was him,” Nick said, “took him some time and pressure, but he told us the truth.”

“We found out where the night howlers were,” Judy said, “and caught the ones growing them.”

“We had to escape the secret lab,” Nick said, “and crashed an entire train car.”

“But at least we found Bellwether, who had become the mayor,” Judy said.

“And She was the one behind all this.”

“THE EVIL WIZARD!” Piper shouted.

“We put blueberries in her gun,” Nick said, “and she tried to turn me savage. We pretended this whole thing.”

“And,” Judy said, “she walked right into a trap. Soon, the department showed up and arrested her.”

“And that was just yesterday,” I said, “and now we’re here.”

“Damn,” Emmitt said, “that was a fucking lot!”

A Tayra doctor then wheeled themselves into the room.

“Greetings,” they said, “I am Dr. DeTayra, here to check the condition.”

“Hi,” I said.

“It seems,” he then said, “that he is doing quite excellent. He will be released later today!”

“Yee-fucking-haw!” Piper shouted.

“We all resorted to swearing when you were gone,” Ashkii said.

“And we got some surprises for you at home,” Corey said, “but we won’t tell you now.”

“And I got a surprise for all of you,” Nick Wilde said as he got out a piece of paper from his pocket.

“Oh shit!” Emmitt said, “Barkway Drive! I fucking LOVE them!”

“And everyone is invited,” Nick said, “Sound Galaxy, Meadowlands Neighborhood, first show here outside of Outback Island, two weeks from now. My old hustling partner will be there as well. And you are all invited to come to the Wild Times theme park before the show!”

“Oh shit!” I said. Wild Times was a theme park that was much bigger than Michigan’s Adventure. They had just built a brand new 325-foot roller coaster aptly titled the Furry 325. 

“Plus,” I continued, “I’ll go in my very first mosh pit! I’ve never done it before!”

“Oh you’ll love it,” Nick Wilde said.

“This will be my first concert!” said Corey.

“Me too!” said Piper.

“My first metal concert!” Judy Hopps said, “Only other shows I’ve been to are shitty country acts.”

“Oh thank you so much,” Ashkii said, as she hugged Nick Wilde as well.

“This is just the beginning,” Nick said, “You can come to other concerts soon as well! Especially now that you live in a place that actually gets them!”

I was so excited. Now I got to go to even more concerts.

A Honey Badger doctor then came into the room.

“I have been given the info,” she said, “Emmitt Otterton, you are clear to go home.”

We all squealed in excitement and ran in to hug each other once more.

“It’s been a long time,” Emmitt said as we walked back to our car, “I can’t wait to get back home.”

We said goodbye for now to Judy and Nick and drove back to the Rainforest District.


	12. Return To The Kingdom of Fluff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emmitt Otterton arrives back at his house as his family shows him around the neighborhood. Meanwhile a particular someone has a new surprise, and Alister discovers his favorite band.

“It’s been a few months,” Emmitt said, as we walked out of the car and into the house, “Must have been A LOT of change.”

“And some surprises,” I said.

We let Emmitt open the door, as he hadn’t been home in such a long time. He was greeted by a giant banner that said “Welcome Back” on it in big letters. There were flowers from the garden decorated all over the house, and posters for Many thrash metal bands which he listened to in high school and college. (he was born in 1974, Ashkii was born in 1975) and many more decorations. 

“Oh thank you all so much,” he said, “Even with my favorite bands. Nick told me I should listen to even more metal subgenres.”

“And that is what WE have all been doing,” I said, “I got into it last winter, and got my cousins into it as well. Nick Wilde also got us all into the heavy stuff.”

“It’s fucking ripper!” Piper shouted.

“Oh Emmitt,” Ashkii said, “You are so very welcome. I just can’t express how great I feel to finally have you back.”

The two embraced for another hug.

“Maybe,” Emmitt said, “we can go walk around the neighborhood before the sun sets.”

“Yes,” Ashkii said, “Because you are back!”

We got up and left the house and walked around the Rainforest District. The sky had cleared momentarily, and the temperature was nice. Many other residents were walking around, glad that the city was starting to be reunited.

“Ah, I’ve missed this place,” Emmitt said, “Long fucking time.”

“I’ve missed you as well,” Ashkii said, “But finally you’re back.”

We walked by a sign advertising a Disturbed/Breaking Beaver show that was going to take place in Sahara Square a month from now. We also saw a poster advertising Sabaton’s “The Last Stand” album which had come out recently. Suddenly we rounded a corner and I saw a familiar face. It was a weasel. He was wearing athletic shorts and a black shirt from a band called “Otter Ogan” who I had never heard of.

“Oh if it’s not Duke ‘Big Gooch’ Weaselton,” Emmitt said as he approached us, “The dude who got involved in the whole Night Howler deal. What are you gonna do to us now?”

“Nothing bad,” he said, “Just here to talk.”

“Oh really,” Emmitt said.

“Well first, I didn’t get involved in the trade until after you went savage,” he said.

“Ok good,” Emmitt said as he calmed down.

“But really, I’m here to say sorry. This motherfucker named Doug made me sell it to him. At first I was reluctant, but then I realized I had to take this deal or else I would have been Night Howler’ed as well.”

“Oh I see,” I said, “Actually makes sense. I’ve been involved with doing stuff I didn’t want to do as well.” 

“It was stoatally against my interests,” Weaselton said, “But, now with everyone caught, I’ve realized I need to change myself. Yesterday, after getting iced, was my realization. I’ve realized just how stupid I have been, and I need to get better. I still love to commit crime, but in different ways. I am planning to sell dangerous weapons out in front of the Rainforest District Elementary School.”

“Oh cool,” Corey said. He was about to start second grade at that elementary school, while Piper was about to start pre-k. I was about to start 8th grade at a tiny-ass private school called Barkridge (that I would eventually leave after 9th grade). 

“And,” Weaselton said, “I got into a LOT of metal. I see you wearing QSE shirt right their kid,” He said pointing at me.

“Yep I’m a metalhead,” I said, “Pretty much a beginner. Started in the past year and only started listening to heavy stuff this summer,” I said.

“Yeah, I now listen to all subgenres,” Weaselton said, “But have you hear the POWER shit!”

“Power Metal like Powerwolf?” I asked (them along with Dragonforce and Sabaton were the only Power Metal bands I knew at the time).

“Everyone names Powerwolf,” Weaselton said, “Their the biggest in that game. Last year, they sold out the 10,000 capacity Tundratown Ice Center. This year, they sold out the 22,000 capacity Sahara Amphitheater. Now they’ve just announced a show at the 40,000 capacity Zoo2 Arena, the biggest concert venue in town.”

“So,” I said, “you here to show me more bands?”

“Yes,” he said, “many more for you to check out. Gloryhammer, Otter Ogan, Unleash The Archers, many more. Also check out Alestorm; the greatest pirate metal band out there.”

“Pirate metal?” I asked.

“It is a thing,” Weaselton said, “You’ll love it.”

“Alright,” Emmitt said.

“And also,” Weaselton said, “listen to more folk metal as well. That shit rips too.”

“That’s what Nick Wilde listens to,” I said, “Especially Korpiklaani.”

“Oh they fucking rule,” Weaselton said.

“Well thank you, and great to see that you’re starting to be better.”

“Yes, and metal also got me into other crime types,” Weaselton said, “I just burned my first church a few minutes ago.”

I looked over and indeed saw a burning church.

“I’ll be at the Barkway Drive show a few weeks from now,” Weaselton said.

“Oh shit,” Ashkii replied, “We’ll all be there too!”

“Great! Keep in contact with me,” Weaselton said, “here’s my number and my Instagram handle. Also my home address too.”

He gave me a slip of paper with everything on it.

“Ha det everyone,” he said in Norwegian as he scampered away.

“So I guess he really is getting better,” Emmitt said, “He was pretty notorious.”

“He seems really cool now!” I said, “I’ll be his friend. He must be pretty lonely.”

We got back to the house. I got out the paper and started playing the bands that he recommended. The first band I put on was Gloryhammer. They immediately blew me away.

“Oh shit!” I said, “This is fucking epic! They might be my favorite band now. Even better than Slipknotter.”

“It’s… a concept album!” Ashkii said as she looked up the band, “each member plays a specific character.”

“And it takes place in medieval Scotland,” Emmitt said, “This sounds EXACTLY like the stories my father used to tell me.”

Corey and Piper were very into it as well, and so was I. We then put on their second album, and it was even better. It took place in outer space 1,000 years later and ended with a massive cliffhanger.

“Holy shit!” I said, “new favorite band. Rise of The Chaos Wizards is now my favorite song.”

“Angus McFluff!” shouted Corey as he ran around the room carrying a toy hammer.

“Zargothrax did the night howlers!” Piper shouted with excitement.

We then looked up Alestorm. They fucking ripped to. They were also up there with my favorite bands now. I especially liked their song ‘Keelhauled’.

“A pirate metal band!” Piper shouted excitedly. She was into pirate shit.

We then put on Otter Ogan. They were now one of my favorites as well. Their songs were epic as fuck. They were also pretty small and not many knew about them. My favorite was “To The End".

“Oh shit,” I said, “I think power metal might be my favorite now.”

Everyone else agreed. We listened to more power and folk metal while making dinner. We were having Scottish Fried Rice which was Emmitt’s favorite. He also opened a bottle of scotch and poured it in a glass.

We sat down at the table, for the first time in a while with 5 of us.

“For Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde,” Ashkii said, as she raised her glass and clinked it with Emmitt’s.

“And for Duke Weaselton,” I said, “and Angus McFluff,” I said. I was drinking water.

We ate a big dinner and had a gluten free cake to celebrate. We then watched some heavy metal movies like "This Is Spinal Tap". Even Corey and Piper were allowed to watch. Afterwards, Emmitt and Ashkii went back into their room and I went into the basement to go to sleep.


	13. Keep The Flame Alive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two Weeks have now passed since Alister's return, which involves a celebratory trip to a theme park and a metal concert.
> 
> THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER

Two weeks had passed since Emmitt came back, and he was getting re-adjusted quite well. We had taken my cousins to go snow-sliding in Tundratown (they love doing that, and I joined in as well), and had gone to metal stores around the city to buy albums and band merch. Emmitt was also settling back into his job pretty well, and still worked as Mr. Big’s florist. Otherwise, life was going pretty well.

However, today was going to be the big day. We were going to meet Nick, Judy, and Nick’s friend Finnick at Wild Times theme park and spend the day there before going to the Barkway Drive concert.

I was ready. I was wearing a new pair of zipper pocket shorts and a black Cane Hill t-shirt. Piper was wearing her soccer uniform as usual but also had on a Lamb of   
God hat. Corey was wearing an Avenged Sevenfold hoodie, Ashkii was wearing an Obituary shirt, and Emmitt was wearing a Powerwolf tank top.

“Alright,” Emmitt said, “Wild Times here we come.”

“Fuck to the yes,” I replied.

We drove over to Wild Times, the theme park. It was about 30 or so minutes and the gates hadn’t opened yet. There by the entrance, we met, Judy, Nick, and Finnick who was a Fennec Fox. Judy Hopps was wearing a Thy Art is Murder shirt, Nick Wilde was wearing a Barkway Drive shirt, and Finnick was wearing a Kublai Khan shirt   
with the sleeves ripped off.

“Hei all,” Nick Wilde said in Finnish, “This is my old partner Finnick, we’re still friends.”

“FUCK IS UP!” barked Finnick, “GREAT FUCKEN DAY TODAY!”

“Indeed,” I said, “theme park trip and a concert! I plan to go in my first mosh pit!”

“Well,” Ashkii said, “It is great to meet you little one, and great to see you again.”

“Alright,” Judy Hopps said, “Let’s get in line.”

We got in line for the entrance, the park soon opened. I immediately rushed to the new ride called the “Furry 325”. Due to us getting there early, There wasn’t much of a line. I got on and rode it in the back row and it FUCKING RIPPED! I’d never ridden something like that in my entire life. The airtime was killer, and the drop was excellent too. My cousins were mainly in the children’s section, but I was doing all the big ones. I also went on one with 15 upside-down inversions called the “Epic   
Rager” and a very painful wooden one called the “Backbreaker”. It was late in the afternoon by the time we were done, and we left the park. 

“That was FUCKING AWESOME!” I exclaimed. 

“That first one,” Nick Wilde said, “Holy shit!”

“And all of them,” Judy Hopps said, “OMFG so great!”

“Well except for that wooden one,” said Finnick, but we still all had fun.

We got back into our car and drove it to the Meadowlands neighborhood where the concert was going to take place. We listened to Barkway Drive and In Hearts Wombat, as well as Aversions Crown. After some time, we arrived outside the venue.Judy, Nick and Finnick got there too. We got in line. Suddenly, we noticed Duke Weaselton right in front of us. He was wearing a black Deicide shirt that said “FUCK YOUR GOD” in big letters on the back and a pair of athletic shorts.

“Oh if it’s not the Big Gooch,” said Nick Wilde.

“We know what you did,” Judy Hopps said.

“Okay okay okay,” Weaselton said, “I have something to say. I only accepted the Night Howler deal because otherwise I would have gotten Night Howler’ed myself,” he said.

“Okay that makes a bit more sense,” Nick said.

“I didn’t even want to do it, and regret it as well. It was all against my own will. I went along trying to make myself look like I was really into it,” he said.

“So what the fuck else,” Finnick asked.

“Well,” he said, “I’m making myself better. After the icing, I decided I had to. I sat down and listened to many metal bands and now I love every subgenre, especially   
the powerful shit. Plus I now got other shit to focus on as well.”

“He knows the good shit now,” Emmitt said.

“In-fucking-deed!” Weaselton said as he went up and high fived me.

“My first mosh pit tonight!” I exclaimed excitedly, “It’s going to fucking rip!”

“I’m ready!” Weaselton said, “for some PELS RASERI! By the way that means ‘fur fury’ in Norwegian.”

“That’ll even make a good band name,” I said in reply to him, “I’ll keep that one in my head.”

“Also, the Powerwolf shows at Zoo2 sold out so fast that I couldn’t even get tickets,” Weaselton said.

We had tried to get tickets but failed as well, Judy and Nick also failed at getting tickets to that show.

“Hopefully I can see them someday,” Ashkii said.

“Me too,” Weaselton said, “I want to burn down a church at one of their shows. They’ll probably do that one day.”

The doors opened and we walked into the venue, which was called The Sound Galaxy. It was medium-sized (a capacity of 1,500) and the show was sold out. There was a floor and a wraparound balcony. We were, of course, on the floor, because of the mosh pit. There was a barricade, and I was possibly thinking of crowd-surfing as well.

Eventually, Barkway Drive came on and opened with “Crushed.” As the song kicked in, the pit opened up wide, much more than I was expecting. Nick and Finnick were right in the chaos of it. I stood on the side, a bit wary. By the second song, Duke Weaselton went in as well, and Judy Hopps was in it by song number three. Soon, I really wanted to go in. They started playing “Vice Grip” and set of a massive confetti blast. I immediately joined in the action as well. I picked up confetti off the floor and threw it in the air in celebration. The pit got more intense during the breakdown, but that was the moment. I FUCKING LOVED THIS SHIT! I continued to rage in the mosh pit for the rest of the show. Winston McCall, the singer, was hyping up the crowd in his thick Australian accent. The band went into “Wild Eyes” and the crowd went OFF. That was also the moment I really realized what I wanted to do. I tapped a Wombat (who had come here all the way from Outback Island) and requested for myself to crowd surf. Within seconds I was up in the air. Holy shit this felt even cooler than any of the roller coasters I had been on that day. As security pulled me over the barricade, I ran back into the pit and did it a few more times. After the came back for their encore, they went into “Bottom Feeder,” The pit went WAY OFF for   
that one. I was going crazy and so were my friends. The rest if my family decided to join in as well, even my cousins (nearly 8 and 4.5) were in on this whole shit. As the leadup to the final breakdown started, the crowd split apart. Winston shouted the lyrics into his microphone and complete otter chaos followed. I was getting   
pushed side to side and pushing others as well. Finally the band ended their set. I’d never felt this excited in a LONG time.

“HOLY FUCKING SHIT!” I exclaimed as I ran up to hug my family, as well as Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps, “that FUCKING RIPPED!”

“My first mosh pit as well!” Duke Weaselton said, “and definitely not my last!”

“I haven’t done that in a long fucking time,” Emmitt said.

“What did I tell you all,” Nick said.

“See you all at even MORE shows coming up!” Finnick shouted.

We went back outside the venue.

“Epic!” Ashkii shouted, “Best concert I’ve been to.”

“I now LOVE concerts!” Corey exclaimed.

“ME TOO!” shouted Piper.

“Oh,” I said, “I can’t thank you enough for what you have done to my family,” I said.

“Me too,” Ashkii said, as we all hugged each other.

“You’re actually not that bad I guess,” Judy Hopps said to Duke Weaselton.

“And I will continue to make myself better,” said Weaselton back to them. 

“Also, Judy,” Nick said, “I got something to tell you.”

“What is it,” Judy responded.

“I will enroll in the police academy,” Nick said, “and continue with the department’s work of making themselves better. I want to actually protect and serve with you.”

“Oh thank you so much,” Judy replied.

“And I will keep in contact with all of you,” Finnick said.

“Same with me,” said Duke Weaselton.

“Hyvästi everyone!” Nick Wilde said in Finnish as he and the rest of his crew left. Weaselton scampered off by himself, and the rest of my family along with me went back to the car.

It was 3 am when we arrived back home. I immediately went down to the basement to go to sleep, it was hard, but I eventually did it.

I fucking love this place.

The End

Meet Alister again in Of Fur and Fire.


End file.
